THIS DAY IN OUR PAST

The following events took place on December 21 in the years identified:

1970:with Telephone service

the Palisadoes Airport is cut off. An announcement by the Jamaica Telephone Company says, “During trenching work in no way connected with the Jamaica Telephone Company, the cable carrying the telephone circuits to Palisadoes Airport is cut through. Repairs are proceeding and will continue throughout the night to restore telephone service to and from the airport as quickly as possible.” 1984:College The Cornwall

Old Boys’ Association in collaboration with Hilcrams Complex and Variety Promotions will be hosting a special awards ceremony for members of the school’s football team which won the daCosta Cup, Ben Francis Trophy and the Olivier Shield in 1983. The function will be held at the Disco Inferno in Montego Bay and will begin at 9 p.m. Guest speaker at the function will be Edmund Bartlett, minister of youth and community development. Other special guests will be Catherine Levy, Miss Jamaica World 1983; Miss City of Montego Bay, Angella Carey; the mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Shalman Scott, Kenneth Baugh and Marco Brown. 1997:help New incentives to

local businesses in the services industry become more competitive are being examined by the Government, according to Paul Robertson, minister of industry, investment and commerce. The minister also reveals that AntiDumping legislation and the new Companies Act are expected to be before the legislation committee by the end of March 1997.

In a wide-ranging speech to business leaders at the monthly meeting of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Robertson says Government is looking at a range of ways to improve the competitiveness of local businesses. “We are now examining the feasibility of implementing a more flexible programme of incentives under the Export Industry Encouragement Act.” The act and tax breaks included are cited as one of the reasons Jamaica’s apparel industry thrived in previous years.

– The Gleaner Archives